James Wright Bird was born in National City on April 10, 1926. Jim was a principal in Freeland & Bird as well as Freeland, Bird & Associates and years later Bird, Fujimoto & Fish in 1967 with Walter Fujimoto and Charles Fish.
Following service in the U.S. Navy (1944-46), he earned his BA in architecture from USC in 1953. During his time at USC, Jim began working summers for structural engineer Eugene Lincoln Freeland. In 1955, he joined the San Diego chapter of the AIA in 1955 and became a principal in Freeland & Bird (1955-64). Years later, the firm added staff and renamed itself as Freeland, Bird & Associates (1964-67). Jim then launched Bird, Fujimoto & Fish in 1967 with Walter Fujimoto and Charles Fish.
He would serve as San Diego's AIA Chapter Treasurer (1959-60), President (1961) and Director (1962) and as a member of the Executive Committee (1967). Beyond these service efforts he served on the Board of Appeals for the National City Building Department (1960-65); the San Diego Board of Appeals (beginning in 1969). Mr. Bird died on January 14, 2011.
Southland Greyhound Club (1956)
West Memphis, Arkansas
*Freeland & Bird
Biscayne Kennel Club 1957)
Miami, Florida
*Freeland & Bird
Education Center (1960)
Chula Vista
*Freeland & Bird
Elementary Schools (1955-1961)
Chula Vista
Four separate schools were designed by Freeland & Bird
Kuma Greyhound Club (1961)
Arizona
*Freeland & Bird
Bachelor Officers' Quarters (1969)
San Diego
*Bird, Fujimoto & Fish
Fifth Avenue Financial Center (1965)
2550 Fifth Avenue
*Bird, Fujimoto & Fish
Hipodromo-Galgodromo (1966)
Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
*Bird, Fujimoto & Fish
National City Civic Center (1967)
National City
*Bird, Fujimoto & Fish
Palomar Mt. Camp & Camp Cuyamaca (1969)
Palomar Mountain - San Diego County
*Bird, Fujimoto & Fish
Westgate Plaza Hotel (ca. 1970)
1055 2nd Avenue
*Bird, Fujimoto & Fish
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